✓ 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄, 𝘬. 𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘰𝘯

𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚—"𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪"

———

"𝙄 𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝘼𝙉'𝙏 𝘽𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙀𝙑𝙀 𝙔𝙊𝙐 guys dragged me into this."

Currently, Clara was in the middle seat of a SUV Damon surely stole from some poor soul, while Elena was in the front passenger seat and Damon was the one driving. Somehow, the raven haired boy convinced Clara to join them while they went to pick up Elena's brother, Jeremy. She figured it was another excuse to get out of Mystic Falls, so she may as well go. They also said they needed the boy to talk to a ghost who was once a vampire, Rose.

Clara remembered the day Rose died, she really connected with the old vampire beforehand. She did everything humanly possible to make her comfortable on her last day due to the deadly werewolf bite, but she wonders if she found peace.

"Hey," Damon starts, glancing from the road to look at his best friend through the rearview mirror. "You're the one who wanted to be in on plans, here's one of them now, so suck it up baby."

Clara let out a huff of annoyance, crossing her small arms onto each other while she leaned back on her seat. Her eyes wondered out the window to the passing trees and wild life, and she suddenly felt a whole lot more calm. Although, she was extremely happy she wasn't on a plane because Clara absolutely hates the idea of flying, always scared her as a kid and she's never even been on one. She did sort of regret being stuck in the car with the duo, because she could cut through the sexual tension with a literal butter knife.

They continued on their drive, mostly quiet other than exchanging words about where they were or if there was a rest stop needed, for a few more hours. Soon enough, they reached Denver, where apparently Jeremy was staying with some old family friends with a whole new school and everything.

She felt happy for the boy, finally getting out of Mystic Falls along with the fact he no longer would be stuck in between the vampire problems, but she was also jealous. Clara wished vampires and witches and everything weren't real, because she wouldn't lose people she cares about. Like Aunt Jenna, whose kind soul always invited Clara over for dinner and coffee. She loves her best friends no matter what, and understand being a vampire is what makes them, but some days she wished they were different.

So, Damon parked the car in a somewhat small parking space as the trio headed towards the schools batting cages; where apparently Jeremy was currently playing baseball. The two walked slowly in front of Clara, who felt a bit out of place trying not to third wheel. And as they turned a corner, saw Jermey with a wooden bat in his hands a few yards away. A smile brightened on Elena's face, and Clara found it absolutely adorable as to Elena's excitement to see her brother after such a long time.

Damon glances back to Clara, one, to make sure the girl was still behind them and two, to make sure everything was okay. Clara nodded softly, a small smile tugging at her lips, confirming she was alright to her best friend.

"Next time we compel him, remind me to make him better at baseball."

Clara raised her hand to use the back of it to slap Damon's chest, and in return he made a rather dramatic gasp. Clara sent him one look, 'shut the hell up!', which her best friend simply understood but still rolled his blue eyes.

"Hey, Jer," Elena states, raising her hand to hook her fingers around the batting cage wire. Jeremy spun around at his nickname, and when his eyes met Elena's his mood was instantly lifted, and then suddenly he narrowed his eyes while tilting his head a bit. His eyes flickered from Elena, to Clara, and then to Damon behind her.